Venice

Hotels in Venice

You'll find countless hotels in Venice (more than 400, to be exact), since the city's tourism industry has been vital to the economy for ages. Most, not surprisingly, are quite charming. But it's important to verify certain elements on the phone before you book. For example: The size of your room, whether or not it has views of the water, and if it's equipped with an elevator.

In the heart of the city lie the best hotels in Venice, those with stunning canal views and excellent amenities. Built on the Grand Canal, the opulent Hotel Gritti Palace is filled with antiques (think Murano glass chandeliers). Bed and breakfasts have been on the rise and one standout is Ca'del Pozzo near St. Mark's Square.

Or, stay in true Venetian style at the Hotel Ca' Vendramin. If you're looking for more affordable accommodations, turn to the less expensive guesthouses on the outskirts of the city. Regardless of where you decide to overnight, it's essential to book months in advance—even for the off-season—since hotels in Venice are in such high demand.

Guests should expect to be lulled to sleep by the opera-singing gondoliers on the nearby canal. This hidden gem of a hotel, accessible by gondola, is a favorite among privacy-seeking celebs attending the Venice Film Festival.

Set on a prime location along the Grand Canal (but still north of Piazza San Marco, away from the crowds), Ca’ Sagredo Hotel is a landmarked 15th-century palazzo artfully converted into a 42-room hotel.

The new B&B is a loftlike hotel in an 18th-century palazzo near the Rialto Bridge. The wood-beamed rooms are edgy, but classic: colorful Kartell lights, Venini vases, and Starck Ghost chairs are paired with antique wooden dressers.

Just five minutes from the Piazza San Marco in the city's Catello neighborhood, this intimate B&B is an excellent choice for an affordable stay. Book one of three antiques-filled rooms or a two-bedroom apartment off the courtyard.

Glamour comes naturally to the Campa brothers, owners of the intimate 12-room property. Their grandfather created the world’s largest Murano-glass chandelier, now in a casino in Knokke-le-Zoute, Belgium (a panoramic photograph of the piece is on view in the breakfast salon).